


Acrophobia

by Tenebrais



Category: Sleepless Domain (Webcomic)
Genre: Quick Hit, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29367498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tenebrais/pseuds/Tenebrais
Summary: Undine learns that she doesn't deal so well with elevators after the Incident.
Kudos: 11





	Acrophobia

Kokoro had managed to talk Undine into climbing the stairs nine floors up to her manager's office, and that was plenty for her. Kokoro could walk back down if she wanted, but Undine was going to take the elevator.

No matter how much time she spent with her, Undine was sure she'd never have her girlfriend's boundless energy. And if all those protein powders was what it took to get it she was perfectly happy to do without. Undine chuckled to herself as she waited.

When the lift arrived, its bell chimed like a funeral peal, and the door to oblivion slid open.

Undine started to step back, then caught herself. It's just an elevator, she reminded herself. You've been in these dozens of times before. It's not dangerous. It's perfectly fine. She looked ahead, and th door stood open waiting for her. The cabin behind was entirely ordinary. Nothing to worry about.

Undine tried to laugh to herself as she stepped in. She was being silly. Okay, she had a reason to have bad associations with these things, there was no mystery about why that bell gave her a start. But she knew there was nothing to worry about here.

The door closed, sealing her in, and the lift descended.  
Undine's heart was in her mouth. Gravity had changed just that little bit. She held on tight to the bar at the back, her nails digging into her palms.  
“No,” she whispered to herself, unconsciously.

Undine tried to close her eyes. In the darkness, the city lay out beneath her as she tumbled through the sky. She could hear her friends' voices, trying in a panic to coordinate. The last time she would ever hear them.

Undine opened her eyes again. She was trapped, and falling. Her chest tightened. She could feel the ground rising up to meet her. She had to get out of here. She had to get to safety, but the door in the front was shut tight. She pounded on it, but the elevator ignored her, and continued to plummet ever deeper.

She backed into the corner, pressing herself against the walls, trying desperately to stop feeling that sinking feeling. She couldn't breathe. She could feel it, there again, her bones broken, the ground slick with her own blood, trying desperately to hold it in with all the power she could muster, clinging tight to those last few minutes before she would join the rest of her team.

She looked down at her gloved hands. When had she transformed? She couldn't _breathe_. She sank to the floor, curling up tight and _she was still falling_.

Undine closed her eyes and waited to die.

A bell chimed, and the door slid open. Light – natural light – spilled in from the foyer. Tears streaming, Undine charged out, stumbling, to tightly hug the wall outside. It stood firm, motionless, keeping her steady as her feet embraced the solid ground. She wasn't moving. She was standing safely on the ground floor. She tried to ease back into breathing again as she wiped her eyes and nose.

“Undine?” came Kokoro's voice from the stairwell. “Holy crap! Undine, are you okay? What happened?”  
Undine looked up at her. What could she possibly say?


End file.
